Cushioning-spring construction



Feb. l0, 1931. o. R. WIKANDER CUSHIONING SPRING CONSTRUCTION Filed Aug. 30

` INVENTOR.

A TTORNE Y.

Patented Feb. 10, 1931 UNITED sTA'TEs i,79z,f344

PATENT oFFiCE OSCAR R. WIKANDER, F PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO EDGEWATER STEEL COMPANY, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA CUSHIONING-SPRING- CONSTRUCTION Appucation mea August so, 1926. serial No. 132,407.

This invention relates to cushioning spring p constructions, and particularly to bolster izontal displacements of the bolster with ret springs for railway car trucks, and for other similar uses, in furnishing an elastic support for a load to be carried and to absorb shocks and jars, etc.

` The main object of the bolster springs of a railway car truck is, of course, to furnish an elastic support for the load carried by the truck and to absorb the vertical shocks transmitted to the truck from the track. In ad-v dition, however, to Athis action of absorbing the vertical shocks, it is desirable to construct or arrange these springs so as to adapt them to also take up any shocks in a horizontal direction, which may be imparted from the track to the truck or caused by relative horspect tothe spring plank. l

In structures of the character heretofore in use, the elastic action of the springs themselves in resisting horizontal displacement of the bolster in regard to the truck frame, has been partly or entirely depended upon to absorb the horizontal shocks, such action necessarily requiring distortion of the springs laterally in one direction or the other from their normal vertical plane. Such distortion or elastic action in horizontal directions involves, however, additional local stresses in the spring, which, aus a rule, are heavily str'ssedby the vertical load alone, and, in

.some cases'as', for instance, in the use of ring springs, is detrimental in causing interference with the main function of the spring, to

wit, that ofabsorbing vertical shocks.

The object of the present invention is to provide a cushioning spring construction for securing the desired elastic resistance against lateral or .longitudinal shocks without sub- Ijecting the springs to any-lateral *force and while limiting the action on the same to straight line compression loads.

My invention, therefore, consists in the provision of means' adapting the spring to perform itsmain function of cushioning ver` tical shocks, while permitting it to cushion horizontal shocks without lateral bending or distortion.

In the accompanying drawing illustrating Figure l is avertical section showing the application of the invention in conjunction with the bolster and' truck' frame of a car, and illustrating in dotted lines a horizontal shock absorbing action. A

Figure 2 is a top plan view ofthe cushioning device show-n in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a sectional side elevation of a bolster and truck frame and a modified form of shock absorbing device.

.Figure 4 is a plany view of the shock ab-kw cushioning spring 5, of ring spring type, al- .though a spring of any other suitable type may be employed, said spring being arranged within an 'enclosing casing comprising two cup-shaped telescopical engaging members 6 and 7 The spring is mainly enclosed in the bottom section 6 of the casing, with its upper end projectingtheref'rom and enclosed within and elastically supportingthe upper casing .section 7, the said two casing sections 6 and 7 being freely movable in the contracting and expanding movements of the spring. These casing, sections not only house and protect `the spring from the access of ldirt, dust and other foreign substances but support the spring for contracting. and expanding movements in an axial direction only, the

-spring being thereby sustained from hori-v zontal or lateral distortion or bending-movements under-relative horizontal, lateral and longitudinal movements between the truck frame and bolster.

The casing vmay be of any suitable crosssectional form, but, in the present instance, is shown as of rectangular or oblong rectairtudinal displacement of trated in dotted lines in Figure 1, the shock gular formand engaged" with the bolster 2 and spring plank?) so asto be held against displacement,while at the same time permitting it to tilt longitudinally or laterally of the truck bolster when, through relative movements between the bolster and spring plank, the bolster moves either longitudinally or laterally out. of proper position. To this end the opposed faces of the bolster and spring plank are provided with seat recesses 8 and 9 in which the top portion of the casing section 7 and bottom portion of the casing section 6 are respectively received and held. Vith this construction, it will be seen that the spring will move normally in a straight vertical direction in absorbing vertical shocks and jars. In the event, however, of a relative displacement between the bolster and spring plank, either longitudinally or laterally of the truck such as the longithe bolster illusabsorbing device'as a whole will tilt in the direction of the displacement. When so arranged the spring, while maintaining a straight line or axial cushioning motion, will absorb the vertical shocks and jars as well d as the horizontal shocks or jars incident to the displacement, the horizontal shocks being sustained without causing lateral bending or distortion of thespring or interference with.

its vertical shock absorbing motion.

In Figures 3 and 4: I have shown a modied form of my invention in which the sections 6a and 7 a of the spring casing or housing are provided respectively with base and head portions 1() and 11 of uniform diameter, ,and each of greater diameter than its casing section, said base and head sections being providedwith 'convex outer faces fitting in the seat recesses 12 and 13 and adapting the cushioning device to have an easy andwide amplitude of tilting motion.

In Figures 5 and- 6 I have shown another modified form of construction of the casing in which the casing sections 6b and 7 b are pro- A, vided with diametrically'extending oblong These rocker bars or ribs have convex outerV rectangular enlargements 10a and 11a forming comparatively wide rocker bars or ribs which engage the seat recesses and on which the shock absorbing device is adapted. to tilt.

faces, which may extend longitudinally thereof only, or both longitudinally andtransversely thereof, to adapt the shock ab sorbing device to tilt with greater freedom in.

one direction or the other or with equal degrees of freedom in both directions.

The foregoing are illustrations of some of the many shapes or forms which the seat p'ortions of the casing sections may take, it being obvious that the said seat portions mayl vary in formwithinwide limits, as desired, or as.

found best suitedunder different conditions of use. It will also be understoodl that my invention is not limited in use to its purpose as a shock absorber for railway trucks, as it may be employed in various other types of devices or apparatus for the purpose of forming an elastic support for a load, and tovtake up shocks and jars falling in a single direction or ina plurality of directions. In the action example illustrated in dotted lines in Figure 1, in which the bolster is shown as displaced horizontally with relation to the spring plank and the shock absorbing device correspondingly tilted, it will be obvious, assuming that the load on the spring has remained practically constant, that the dis lacing motion of the bolster involves a li ing of the load against the force of gravity, which latter force will tend-to bring it back to the normal full-line position shown in Figure 1, in which motion the cushioning device is also returned to normal position.

While a cushioning spring of ring type is shown in the present disclosure, it is apparent that a coiled spring or leaf spring may be used in its place, and that while a straight line motion maintaining means is disclosed in the form of a casing composed of telescopic cuplike sections, other means for sustaining and maintaining the straight line motion ofthe spring may be employed, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Having thus fully described my invention, I claim v L l. The combination 'with two spaced and relatively movable load Carryingmembers,

of a cushioning unit-comprising a ring spring,

disposed between said members, and an en- -closing casing for the spring holding' the` 2. The combination with two spaced andv relatively movable load `carrying" members i (provided with seat recesses in their opposed faces, of a cushioning spring disposed betweensaid members, and an enclosing casing for the spring comprising sections telescopically connected to secure a'straight line cushioning motion of the spring, said casing loosely engaging said seat recesses so as to permit unitary tilting motion of the casing and spring while maintaining such straight line motion. l,

3.' The combination with two superimposed spaced and relatively movable load carrying members, of a shock absorber comprisinga cushioning spring disposed between said l members, and abutments for the end sl ofthe spring enclosing the spring, said abutments having an intersliding engagement with each other for positively obtaining straight line compressive and expansive motions of the spring along the longitudinal axis of the absorber and said abutments having engage- -ment with the load carrying members such as to permit universal tilting motions of the spring and its abutments Without impairing the straight line motion of the spring or dis- 0 turbing its symmetrical position around its longitudinal axis.

In testimony whereof I aiix my signature.

OSCAR R. WIKANDER. 

